Ghosts of the Past
by Sheytune
Summary: Steve Rogers is found in 1951. He's anxious to return to his life, but there's a problem - Peggy Carter has disappeared.
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** This one becomes AU very quickly.

* * *

It didn't seem real. The last time he'd been in this bar, Bucky had been beside him, handing him drinks and teasing him about Peggy. Now Bucky was dead, lying in a canyon miles away.

But if it wasn't real - if it was a side effect of the serum or bad dream or a horrible joke - he wouldn't be here alone, trying to get drunk even though his body wouldn't let him.

He was alone, therefore Bucky was dead.

He heard footsteps and turned, hoping for just a second that he was wrong. Of course, it wasn't Bucky picking his way through the rubble of the bombed-out bar - it was Peggy.

It wasn't the same as having Bucky back, but it was good not to be alone while he grappled with the knowledge that he'd gotten his best friend killed.

She told him it wasn't his fault – not that he believed it - and sat there as he talked. Somehow, the conversation turned to his childhood, and he found himself telling her about the fights he'd gotten into, the time he'd dared Bucky to climb the big oak tree in the schoolyard, and the first time he'd kissed a woman.

When the bottle was empty (and he was still disappointingly sober), he walked her back to the hotel they were billeted in, and they climbed the stairs to the second floor together. He looked down the hall at his door – just one past the room Bucky shared with a couple of the commandos – and took an involuntary step back. Peggy's hand went to his back to steady him, and then she reached over and took his hand. "Come with me", she said. "I don't think you should be alone tonight."

He gratefully followed her to the fourth floor, and waited while she unlocked the door to her room. She unbuckled her coat as he hovered in the doorway. "Come in", she said. "It won't do either of us any good to have you found here."

The room was small with a narrow bed, a bedside table, and thick shades on the windows. He shut the door behind him and stood there awkwardly as Peggy removed her coat and hung it in the wardrobe.

"You're not planning to sleep in that, surely?" she asked.

"I should go", he answered. "I don't want to cause trouble for you."

"It would hardly be the first time, would it? Now take off your shoes and hang your uniform up so that it doesn't wrinkle. If it makes you feel better, I promise not to take advantage of you."

She unbuttoned her uniform jacket and hung it neatly beside her coat. When her fingers went to the buttons on her blouse, he turned away hastily, not turning back until she laughed, "You can turn around now, Steve."

She perched on the edge of the bed in her soft flannel nightgown and watched without guilt as he kicked his shoes to the side and hung his uniform neatly beside hers. When he was down to his underclothes, he walked over to the bed and lay down. She lay beside him, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her body. "Sleep, Steve", she said, and he closed his eyes, sure he couldn't possibly obey.

When he woke, the room was still dark, illuminated by just the slightest hint of light from around the edges of the blinds. Peggy was already awake, her face softer than he'd ever seen it, her cheeks damp.

"Peggy?" He pushed himself up on his elbow, not sure what was wrong.

"It could have been you." Her voice cracked. "Oh, Steve, I'm so sorry it was Bucky, but I just keep thinking it could have been you."

"Hey." He reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair off her face. "I'm fine."

"Next time you might not be."

"Maybe not", he agreed. "But if that's what it takes to make the world a safer place, so be it."

She nodded, her eyes steady on his. "I know I'm being silly."

"Not silly", he replied. "When I think that it could be you next time, I can hardly breathe. But I can't let that stop me. I have to take down Hydra."

"I know", she answered. "It's just … we've wasted so much time." She laughed. "I'm regretting my promise not to take advantage of you, I can tell you that."

He smiled for the first time since Bucky's death. "What if I take advantage of you?"

Her face broke into that slightly mischievous smile that he loved. "That would be acceptable."

* * *

 _September, 1951_

He woke in a sparse room, the walls an institutional green. Someone – a nurse? – started when he cleared his throat. With a panicked look at him, she rushed out of the room. By the time she returned with another woman and a bespectacled man, he had managed to sit up.

"Where am I?", he asked. The people surrounding him spoke to each other in some language he couldn't understand. The nurse he'd first seen patted his hand reassuringly and they left him alone again.

It took three long hours for them to produce someone who spoke English. By the time the young woman arrived, he had managed to eat the clear broth and bread he was offered, and found the strength to get out of bed and explore his surroundings. He was in what appeared to be a small hospital in what appeared to be a tiny, isolated town.

It was three weeks before he was able to get on a boat – three weeks of talking to Agnes, learning everything he could about the years he'd missed.

* * *

He spent his first week on American soil talking to a selection of military officers, doctors, and psychologists. They were all strangers, and none of them could tell him what he wanted to know. He even sweet-talked a secretary into checking Peggy's file, but all she found was that Peggy had resigned not long after he'd disappeared. There was no forwarding address.

Colonel Anders impressed on him the importance of releasing the news of his survival in the right way and asked him to keep to the base. He wanted to leave, to go home to Brooklyn and walk the familiar streets, to search for Peggy, but he reluctantly complied.

When he could wait no longer, he tracked down Colonel Phillips, who greeted him much more fondly than he ever had before. Phillips couldn't help, either – he didn't know where Peggy had gone, or why she had left the job she loved.

It took two weeks before Howard showed up, fresh from an expedition on the Atlantic. It was good to see his familiar face, even if it was a face he'd considered punching more than once. Howard insisted on hearing about the Danish fishermen who'd found him, the doctors who'd examined him, and his trip back to the states. Steve went along with it for a while, but eventually lost patience and asked, "Howard, where's Peggy?"

Howard couldn't quite meet his eyes. "Rumor has it she quit the SSR and disappeared."

Steve refused to accept the evasive response. "No. You know where she went. Tell me."

"I don't know where she is", Howard answered, and Steve believed he was telling the truth. He knew from experience that Howard could twist the truth with the best of them, though, and Steve considered choking the information out of him. His thoughts must have shown on his face, because Howard continued, "I may be able to find her, though."

A week later, Howard knocked on Steve's door and tossed a three-day-old edition of the London Times at him.

"Are you delivering newspapers, now?" he asked.

"I'm delivering this one", Howard answered. "Check the classifieds."

Steve turned to the classified section and read the ad circled in red pen. "Found: Golden retriever. Answers to Rover. Call Alice at +44 1304 614481."

He looked up at Howard. "Why are you showing me this?"

Howard grinned. "Grab your bag, Rogers. We're going on a trip."

* * *

Howard's private plane was a big step up from the military transport he'd travelled on the last time he flew to London. The city was a surprise, too, filled with glittering lights and rebuilding projects. A private car whisked them through the city and out into the countryside.

After a few hours, they arrived in a small, seaside town. The driver stopped outside a cafe and they got out, blinking slightly at the bright sunshine.

Howard led the way inside, and they purchased coffee and sandwiches and made their way to a table in the corner. Howard had been annoyingly tight-lipped about their destination, and they ate in silence. As they finished their sandwiches, Steve noticed that Howard's attention had been caught by something behind him. He heard footsteps approaching their table, and heard Howard say "Alice! It's good to see you."

"Right", replied a familiar voice. "I'm sure you didn't drag me out here because you missed me. What's going on?"

She had straight, blonde hair pulled back in a severe bun, and was wearing a cheerful summer dress, but it was clearly Peggy, looking at him as if she'd never seen him before in her life.

* * *

They left the café and walked. Peggy led the way to a secluded area of the beach, Steve and Howard following unquestioningly. When they were out of sight of the other beachgoers, Peggy's control slipped.

"Steve?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"Hey, Peg", he answered. "Sorry I'm late."

A tear rolled down her cheek. "You are very late", she said, her tear-choked voice severe. "But better late than never."

He pulled her into his arms, marveling at how well they fit together, and she let herself rest against him for a moment before pulling away and accepting the handkerchief Howard offered. "I don't understand", she said. "How are you here?"

"I'm not sure", Steve answered. "Apparently some fishermen found the plane, and they brought me to the hospital and thawed me out. It has to be the serum."

"That's an unexpected side effect", Peggy noted.

Steve laughed. "I was certainly surprised." He sobered. "Peggy, why did you disappear? Why aren't you still working at the SSR?"

Peggy cupped his cheek with her hand. "It's Alice now, actually. Alice Hunter. Peggy Carter doesn't exist."

"Why not?" Steve asked. "You changed your name, your hair, your home … Peggy, what are you hiding from?"

Peggy took his hand and led him to a sand dune. She settled on the sand and pulled him down beside her. "I don't know if you ever heard the rumours", she said, "But it seems that it was a poorly-kept secret that Peggy Carter and Captain America were close."

"I heard them", Steve replied. "I tried to stop them. Hit a guy once for saying some ungentlemanly things about you, in fact."

"I suspect that did little to squelch the rumours", she said. "And there were rumours, even after you crashed that plane. I don't think you understand how _frantic_ the search for you was. You were the only person the serum had properly worked on, and the military desperately wanted to be able to create an entire army of super soldiers."

"Did they think you knew where I was?" Steve asked.

"No", Peggy answered. "But a few weeks after the crash, I found out I was going to have a child. If Peggy Carter gave birth, the world would have assumed that it was Steve Rogers's child, and the baby would have been become a curiosity, prodded and tested from the moment she was born. But Alice Hunter has no connection to Steve Rogers, so her child would be safe. I went to Howard and asked for his help, and he created a new identity and wrote me a letter of reference. And then I dyed my hair, moved to London, and found a new job. Six months later, I gave birth to a baby girl." She reached into her handbag and pulled out a photograph. "This is Stephanie."

Steve took the photograph and stared at the picture. The young girl faced the camera defiantly, a mischievous smile on her face and her hands on her hips. "She's beautiful", he said. "Peg, I … I don't know what to say."

"It's a lot to take in", she agreed.

"Can I meet her?" Steve asked.

Peggy worried her lower lip with her teeth. "I don't want to tell her you're her father. Not right away. She wants a father desperately, and you've just returned. There's going to be an uproar when the press learns you're alive, and I don't want her to be hurt."

"I want her to know", Steve said, "but not if it's going to put her in danger. I can wait to be her father."

"She's at the neighbour's", Peggy said. "You can meet her now, if you want."

Steve stood and held out his hand to Peggy. "Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** I know it's been a while, it took forever to figure out exactly where this is going. And it's summer, and so this hasn't been top priority. But it's here now.

* * *

They put Howard in charge of organizing rooms and left him at a local hotel, and Steve walked with Peggy through the unfamiliar streets.

It didn't seem real. Her hair and clothes were different, but her voice and the way she charged down the street as if going into battle were the same. It was hard to picture her as a mother – rocking her daughter to sleep, picking her up after she fell and skinned her knees, reminding her to eat her vegetables.

Of course, it was even harder to imagine himself as a father. He'd thought about having a child sometime in the distant future, but not now. He didn't even have a job or a place to live.

They walked in silence as he grappled with everything he'd learned, until he broke the silence by asking, "What did you tell her about me?"

"I said her father was a soldier, a brave man who died in the war."

"What are we going to tell her now?" he asked.

"Well", Peggy replied, "I thought we'd introduce you as someone I knew during the war. She knows I worked with soldiers, even though she doesn't know exactly what I was doing. Later, once the publicity has died down, we can tell her that you're her father."

It seemed wrong to hide who he was, but he knew it was the right thing to do, so he nodded in agreement.

They lapsed back into silence, until he added. "Peg, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you found out you were pregnant, and when our child was born, and all the days since then."

"It wasn't your fault", she answered. "I can't argue with saving the world, even if it left me in a bit of a tight spot."

They turned the corner and Peggy stopped in front of a row house. "Wait here", she said. "I'll go collect Stephanie."

* * *

It was a relief to leave Steve standing on the pavement. Seeing him had been a shock. She'd given up her job, her identity, to bear his child. She'd loved him, and she'd mourned him.

What was she supposed to do now?

The smell of fresh cookies wafted through the air as she stepped into the house. "She's in the kitchen", her neighbor said. "We baked cookies."

"I can tell", Peggy smiled. "They smell delicious." She poked her head into the kitchen. "Stephanie, ready to go?"

Stephanie shoved the last of her cookie into her mouth and scraped her chair back from the table. "Did you see your friend?", she asked.

"Chew first, then talk", Peggy responded. "But yes, I saw my friend. In fact, he wants to meet you. He's waiting outside."

Her daughter's sticky hand found hers. "Why does he want to meet me?", Stephanie asked.

"Well", Peggy responded. "I expect he wants to meet you because he and I were once good friends, and people often want to know the people who are important to their friends". As she spoke, she realized for the first time that she couldn't introduce Steve to her daughter as Steve Rogers. Captain America wasn't as well known in Britain as he was in America, but the news of Steve's survival was bound to be international news, and she'd learned from experience that children were quick to pick up on exactly the piece of information you'd rather they didn't hear.

Her daughter accepted the explanation without question, and they waved goodbye to the neighbor and stepped into the cloudy day.

Steve saw them immediately, and he smiled tentatively and waved as they stepped down the stairs to join him on the pavement. "Stephanie, this is Mr. Carter", she said, shooting Steve a look that caused him to mask his surprise. "Mr. Carter, this is my daughter Stephanie."

Steve held out his hand seriously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Stephanie." Stephanie took his hand and shook it enthusiastically, and the three of them set off down the street. As they walked towards her small flat, Steve asked Stephanie the kinds of questions well-meaning adults always ask children – her favourite colour, her favourite animal, what she was learning in school – and listened intently while she answered.

They reached her building and climbed the steps to her flat. As soon as they were inside, Stephanie took Steve's hand and took him on a tour of the flat, pointing out her bed, her toys, and the picture she had coloured at school. She produced a checker board and dragged it over to the table, challenging Steve to a game.

Peggy left them to it, and opened the small cupboard, taking a quick inventory of the contents. She'd have to start dinner soon, and if she remembered correctly, Steve could eat more than the two of them together.

He still didn't miss a trick, though, and he said casually, "Alice, I was wondering if I could take you and Stephanie out for dinner tonight."

"Me too?", Stephanie asked. "Mum, can we? I love going out for dinner."

Steve crooked his eyebrow at her, a challenging smile on his face. "Please, Alice? If I remember correctly, the last meal we shared was cooked in a tin can over an open fire. I'd like the chance to treat you to something a little more tasty."

"Very well", Peggy responded. "If you insist."

"Why did you eat out of a can?" Stephanie asked.

"It was during the war", Steve answered. "We were far away from a house with a stove."

"You were in the war?"

"Yes", Steve nodded. "That's how I met your mother. We were in the war together."

"Did you know my dad? He died in the war."

Steve's smile cracked. "I did."

"Oh." Stephanie fell silent, obviously working up the courage to ask her next question.

"He would be very proud of you", Steve said, "And very sad that he wasn't here to see you grow up."

"Mommy says my daddy loves me, and love doesn't die even when people do."

"Your mother is right", Steve answered. "I'm sure your father loves you very much."

"I wish he was here", Stephanie said. "I never even got to see him."

"Right", Peggy said, breaking the mood that had settled over the room. "Why don't you go wash your face and get changed so we can go?"

Stephanie raced to the bathroom. "I'm sorry about that", Peggy said. "She likes hearing about her father."

"I understand", Steve answered. "My father died in the great war. I know what it's like to miss someone you never knew. Peg …"

"Yes?"

"I didn't think to ask, but when Stephanie seemed surprised that she was going to join us for dinner, I realized that even though it seems like we've only been apart for a couple of weeks, for you it's been years. Are you seeing someone?"

"I work at the police station", she said, "answering the phones. Most of the officers are … brutes, really. They believe they're superior to women in every way, and treat us like we're so fragile that the slightest adversity would make us crumble up and blow away. But there's one detective who asks my opinion and listens when I give it to him, and lately we have been seeing each other on occasion."

"Would it be easier for you and Stephanie if I just disappeared after tonight? Just went back to New York and let you live your life as Alice Hunter?" Like so many times before, she could see how much he wanted to do the right thing, no matter what the cost.

"Easier, yes", she answered. "But not better, I don't think. I don't have the answers, Steve. I think we're just going to have to figure this out as we go along."

The bathroom door flew open and Stephanie came out, her hair up in two lopsided ponytails. "Can we go for dinner now?", she asked.

Peggy nodded. "I think we're ready."

Steve opened the door. "After you", he said.

* * *

Thoughts?


	3. Chapter 3

**Note:** This one's short, but that's life.

* * *

Three weeks later, Steve stood at parade rest while the General announced his return to a throng of reporters. He wore his dress uniform, and blended in with the rest of the army personnel behind the general – at least until an enterprising reporter spotted him.

"Captain America!"

Others joined in, shouting his name until the general gestured him up to the microphones, and Steve leaned into the mic and said "Hi".

The reporters shouted questions at him, and he held up his hand until they quieted. "Sorry, gentlemen", he said. "I can only answer one question at a time." He pointed to a man in a grey suit. "You, sir."

"How did you survive?"

Steve laughed. "I really don't know. I don't remember anything between hitting the water and waking up in a hospital."

Another man shouted, "What are you going to do now?"

"Well", Steve answered, "I don't have a job or a place to live, so I imagine I'll start by figuring that out. And I'm going to meet up with the Howling Commandos soon."

"Will the girl whose picture was in your compass be there?", shouted a woman from the crowd at the back of the room.

"I'm not sure", Steve replied. "She's welcome, of course."

"Did she wait for you?"

Steve smiled. "Only a fool would wait for a dead man, and I can assure you she's not a fool."

A reported shouted "Captain!" and Steve held up his hand again. "It's not a secret that I love her", he said. "All I ever wanted was for her to be happy. If she's found someone who will make her as happy as I wanted to make her, I'll wish them well and dance at their wedding."

* * *

Peggy tucked the newspaper under her arm and jumped off the streetcar. The station had been abuzz with the news of Captain America's return, and it had been an effort to stay focused on her job. All she wanted was to collect Stephanie and spend a quiet night at home, far away from talk of Captain America.

It seemed that she was to be disappointed, however, since the word that Captain America had been found alive and well had reached the schoolyard as well. As they walked home, Stephanie chattered non-stop about everything she'd heard at school. It wasn't until they were home and Stephanie was busy colouring that Peggy was able to have a moment to herself.

She still didn't know what she was going to do. Coming forward as Peggy Carter would put her daughter in the spotlight. She'd have to give up her home, the friends she'd made as Alice Hunter, her job and her quiet life. She'd loved Steve, and losing him had hurt like nothing she'd ever felt before. Did she want to risk that kind of pain again? Was she even capable of loving him as she once had?

On the other hand, she'd be able to take her daughter to meet her family, and see the rest of the Howling Commandos again, and live a life without the fear of being discovered hanging over her head.

There was a knock at the door, and Stephanie raced to answer it. By the time Peggy got there, Stephanie was had taken the telegram from the delivery boy. Peggy thanked the boy and opened the telegram. It contained a code, which she quickly deciphered to get the message:

LONDON MAYFLOWER SATURDAY 8

* * *

Thoughts?


	4. Chapter 4

The waitress narrowly avoided a collision as she wove her way through the crowded pub. She delivered the next round of beer and scooped up as many empty glasses as she could fit on her tray before disappearing into the smoke. Across the table, Dum Dum was loudly telling a story that was probably made up, while Morita and Jones heckled and joked.

In some ways, it was as if they'd been together yesterday, but when the Howling Commandos started pulling out baby pictures and talking about buying houses, it drove home just how long he'd been gone. His friends had moved on – fallen in love, gotten married, started families. If he'd never gotten on that plane, he could have had that life, too.

Dum Dum finished his story and Falsworth caught Steve's eye. "Have you seen Peggy?"

Dum Dum shoved him, pushing him into Jones. "Hey!" Falsworth retorted. "What was that for?"

"Have some sensitivity", Dum Dum answered. "Peggy took off, remember?"

"Actually", Steve said, "I have seen Peggy."

Falsworth glared at Dum Dum and opened his mouth to continue the argument.

"Was the baby a boy or a girl?" Jones asked.

For just a second, the table was silent, and then the commandos erupted in speech, all of them talking at once. Dum Dum leaned onto his elbows, pointing one finger at Jones. "You! What do you know?"

Jones shrugged. "Peggy wasn't the type to leave before the job was done. I figured she had to have a good reason for packing it in. I asked, and she told me."

He looked at Steve, his expression serious. "I offered to marry her so that she wouldn't have to deal with … everything alone. She said no –thought that was the only way she could keep the baby safe was to disappear. "

Steve nodded. "Thanks."

"Well?" Dum Dum's fists thudding on the table caused the glasses to jump. "Boy or girl?"

Steve smiled. "Girl."

* * *

Three hours later, the group had left loud and boisterous far behind. Morita and Jones were singing a song that Steve was grateful he couldn't hear properly, and Dum Dum's speech had become so slurred he was almost impossible to understand.

Steve, of course, was completely sober. In fact, he figured it was probably time for him to call it a night. Being the only sober person in a room full of drunks wasn't a lot of fun. He pushed his chair back and stood up, drawing his friends' attention, and cleared his throat. "I should be going", he said.

He saw Dum Dum's gaze shift to the left and felt a gentle hand on his arm. "So soon?", Peggy said, dazzling as always in the red dress he'd seen her in once before. "I just got here."

The commandos collectively surged to their feet around her, hugging her in turns.

When she was able to get free, she grinned up at Steve. "Do you really have to leave?", she asked. "I was hoping you could stay for another drink."

Steve pulled up another chair as Peggy took his seat. He sat back and watched her answer question after question about what she'd been doing, and grinned proudly as she passed around a picture of Stephanie.

The bartender called last call, and the group stumbled to its feet and made its way out into the chilly night. One by one, the commandos said goodbye and departed, until only Steve and Peggy were left standing on the pavement.

"Where are you staying?", Steve asked. "I'll walk you home."

"I have a hotel room a few blocks away", Peggy answered, gesturing down the street. "Walk me back?"

"Of course", Steve replied, offering her his arm.

All too soon, they reached the lights of her hotel. She fished her key out of her bag, and Steve pulled her into a hug. "It's good to see you, Peggy", he said. "I'd like to see you again, if that's OK."

She laughed into his chest. "I think that can be arranged."

She could hear the smile in his voice. "Good", he answered. "I've missed you."

He pulled back and she looked into the eyes she'd once thought she'd never see again. "I've missed you, too", she said.

He dropped his arms and took a step back. "I'd better go", he said.

"I suppose you must", she said. "But only if you promise to meet me for breakfast tomorrow."

"Just name the time and place."

"Meet me here. 8 a.m. Don't be late."

Steve couldn't remember the last time he'd been this happy. "It's a date."

* * *

Is anyone still reading these?


	5. Chapter 5

**Note:** I really need to finish this one so that I can write the other two that are stuck in my head.

* * *

Steve made a point of leaving early for the walk to the hotel, and so he found himself waiting on the corner a full 30 minutes early. He didn't mind. It was a nice – albeit cloudy – day, and the last thing he wanted was to be late. He leaned against a lamppost and enjoyed the bustle of the foot traffic on the street.

Peggy was right on time, and they walked down the street until they found a place that was open. Over a full English breakfast, Peggy shared stories about Stephanie – her love of singing even though she was always out of key, the tree she climbed to the top of before realizing that she didn't know how to get down, the fist fights she got into at school defending smaller children. The stories were light and amusing, but Steve knew that Peggy was glossing over the hard times, the sleepless nights and the worries about money. He'd missed so much, and left her to pick up the slack.

By the time they finished, the sun had come out, and they strolled down the street arm in arm. The walk was too short, and all too soon they were standing outside her hotel. They lingered near the door, reluctant to put an end to their time together, and Steve gathered his courage.

"So", he said, not quite able to meet her eyes. "Howard is thinking about starting a new agency. Kind of a new version of the SSR."

"Oh?"

"He asked if I would get involved. It'll be an international thing."

"Makes sense." Her voice was tentative, as if she didn't want to commit to a reaction.

"Yeah." Steve somehow managed to stumble over the word. "They're going to open an office here, in London. I was thinking maybe I could make this my headquarters."

She took a moment to consider the idea, and he continued on, "I could come to visit as often as you want, or you and Stephanie could move here. I know I've been gone a long time, but I still feel the same, and maybe if you get to know me again …"

Peggy finally found her voice. "But …"

Steve forced himself to look her in the eyes. "It's OK, really, if you don't want me, if you'd rather be with that guy from work. I want you to be happy. But even if you don't want to, I still want to be part of Stephanie's life. I don't know how to be a dad – it was just my mom and me – but I think I could be a good one, if you let me."

"Steve", she answered. "You're _Captain America_. Do you really think the American government is going to let you move to Britain?"

His chin went up, and his face took on the stubborn look she'd first seen years ago and miles away. "I don't care what they think."

"Well", she answered, "I spoke with Howard yesterday morning. He offered me a job in New York."

Steve's face lit up. "He did?"

"It appears he's starting an agency to take over where the SSR left off. He offered me a position as a director. I'm not sure it can compare with the excitement of my thrilling job on the switchboard, but I thought it might be time for a change. And I suspect that between the two of us, we will be able to afford a nice house in Brooklyn."

"You'll be my boss", Steve mused. "Just like old times."


	6. Chapter 6

**Note:** And so we come to the finale.

* * *

Peggy didn't remember air travel being so tiring. Of course, the last time she'd been on a plane, she had definitely not been accompanied by an over-excited six year old. Stephanie was in her element, kneeling on her seat to watch the clouds go by and occasionally pulling herself away to ask another question she already knew the answer to. By the time they landed at Howard's private airfield, Peggy wanted nothing more than a hot bath followed by a long nap.

Howard's chauffeur met the plane and ushered them into a sedate town car before whisking them away to the flat they'd be staying in until the wedding. As with all of Howard's residences, it was luxurious, filled with priceless art, and utterly unsuitable for a young child. They had settled in, bathed, and changed into fresh clothing when there was a knock on the door.

"Daddy!" Stephanie raced across the room and flung the door open, launching herself into Steve's arms as Peggy followed behind. Steve swung her up onto his hip as Stephanie chattered away, telling him every detail of their flight.

When Stephanie finally paused for breath, he leaned over to kiss Peggy. "Hello", he said.

"Hello", she grinned. "Now that you have an appreciation for what the flight was like, would you like to come in?"

Stephanie squirmed and he let her drop to the ground. She grabbed his hand. "Come on, Daddy, I want to show you my room."

When he had taken the time to properly appreciate their new home, Steve took them on a tour of the city. Peggy had been there before, of course, but Stephanie was enthralled by the buildings and the sheer number of people. It was a far cry from the small town she'd spent her life in. They ate dinner at a local automat, then Steve came back to tuck Stephanie into bed before she collapsed from jet lag and exhaustion. She fell asleep almost instantly, and Steve and Peggy curled up on the sofa.

"Is she always like this?"

Peggy rested her head against his shoulder. "She's had a big day", she answered. "She's always very energetic, but today she was exceptionally excited. It's not every day you move to a new country _and_ get to see your father again. She's quite taken with you."

Steve brushed a kiss against her forehead. "I'm taken with her too", he said. "I can't wait until we can move into our new place together."

"Two more weeks", Peggy said. "I hope you've succeeded in keeping Howard out of the wedding plans."

"Howard's busy with a new business venture", Steve answered. "He has an army of lawyers sorting out how to change your name back and correct Stephanie's birth certificate, and his butler Mr. Jarvis has been helping make arrangements for the wedding. Mrs. Jarvis wants to take you and Stephanie shopping for clothes on Tuesday."

"I suppose we do need a few new things. What are we doing tomorrow?"

"It's up to you", Steve answered, "but I thought we could go look for a place in Brooklyn."

"Mmm", Peggy replied, nestling closer.

"It sounds like I should go", Steve said. "You are as tired as your daughter."

* * *

Mrs. Jarvis bustled around, tying the sash on Stephanie's dress and fastening the clasp of Peggy's necklace. Peggy pinned a last curl in place as Stephanie twirled in her new dress, enjoying the feel of her skirt flaring out around her.

"Look, mummy!", she shouted a moment before the dizziness overcame her and she collapsed on the floor.

The small party piled into Mr. Jarvis's car for the short drive to the small church. It was a cloudless, sunny day, and Stephanie kept up a running commentary about the people she could see, the buildings there were passing, and an interesting bird that landed on a nearby lamppost.

Howard met them at the church, and Stephanie went inside with Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis. Howard held out his arm. "Ready? There's still time to change your mind, you know. I always thought you and me would be good together."

Peggy glared at him.

"Thought you were looking a little pale there", he said as the sounds of the wedding march filtered out through the church doors. "That's much better. Shall we go? It sounds like they're playing your song."

* * *

And that's the end.


End file.
